Chapter 5: A Decade-Long Misunderstanding

The morning after playing at the beach.

As usual, we gathered in the cafeteria.

Sitting across from me, Tennouji-san was eating an omelet. She’d been eating it every day for the past few days, so she must really like it.

That same Tennouji-san was trembling slightly.

“Tennouji-san, are you cold?”

“Not at all. This is the trembling of a warrior… For this exam, I’m brimming with confidence. This time, I’ll defeat Konohana Hinako for sure!”

I thought maybe the air conditioning had chilled her, but it seems that wasn’t the case.

“Summer classes end today, huh? It feels kinda lonely when you think about it.”

Narika muttered softly.

Hinako and I… surely everyone was feeling the same way.

“Hinako and I are heading back tomorrow, but what about everyone else?”

“I’m the same,” Tennouji-san replied.

“I’m leaving the day after tomorrow. My dad’s going to inspect some stores, so I’m tagging along,” Narika said.

Narika’s family runs Japan’s largest sporting goods manufacturer. Like Taishou’s and Asahi-san’s families, their business model is B-to-C, dealing directly with general consumers, so they have stores all over the country. Since they’re in Karuizawa, they’re probably taking the chance to check out nearby locations.

After hearing their answers, I glanced at Yuri.

I meant to include Yuri in the question, but the girl herself was completely spaced out, staring blankly into the void.

“Yuri?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I wasn’t listening.”

She reacted a bit late.

“Something up?”

“Nah, it’s not like that.”

Her reply lacked its usual energy.

Now that I think about it, inviting Yuri, who’s been working part-time almost every day, to the beach might’ve been a bit inconsiderate. She was pretty active there too, so maybe she’s just exhausted.

“Today’s the day everyone gets their exam results, right? …No wonder there are so many anxious-looking guests today.”

Yuri said, scanning the cafeteria.

If anything, we’re the ones with the least anxiety. Hinako and Tennouji-san are probably fine, scoring high as usual.

The only ones feeling uneasy are Narika and me.

“Come to think of it, Hirano-san, you were tutoring Izuki, weren’t you?” Narika said.

“Yeah, kinda. This guy’s been so busy with work that he couldn’t focus on classes at all sometimes. So I’m a little confident about his studying.”

The Ojou-sama girls let out impressed hums.

I wasn’t sure how Narika knew that, but then I remembered—before we went to the beach, Yuri was sneaking around doing something. They probably talked about it when I wasn’t around.

Thinking about it, Yuri’s pretty high-spec herself. She’s always put effort into her studies, even back in the day. I vaguely recall her saying something like, “It’d be annoying to be seen as some idiot who can only cook, right?” That’s such a Yuri thing—motivated by her competitive streak.

“Hey, what were the exam questions like?”

“Something like… this.”

I pulled the exam paper from my bag under the chair and showed it to Yuri.

Yuri stared at it for a while… then froze.

“Uh, Izuki, do you… understand this?”

“I can at least get the gist of it.”

I can manage to parse the question text, at least.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I might get it a little too.”

“No way…”

Does she know how long it took me to even understand it?

“So, uh… did you actually solve it?”

There was something odd in Yuri’s eyes as she asked, like she was holding some strange emotion.

I wasn’t sure why, but her expression seemed tinged with fear.

I didn’t know the reason, but I answered honestly for now.

“If I’d solved it, I wouldn’t look like this.”

“…Right!”

Seeing my dead-fish eyes, the unease vanished from Yuri’s face.

“I mean, normal people can’t solve stuff like this! No matter how you look at it, Izuki’s one of us!”

“Ugh… I can’t even argue this time.”

With her hands on her hips, Yuri declared triumphantly, and I couldn’t muster a comeback.

As expected, I still can’t keep up with everyone at Kiou Academy. I’m painfully aware of how much more effort I need.

“…Is that so?”

Tennouji-san murmured softly.

“Anyway, like I said before the exam, if you get a bad score, I’ll make you a hamburger set to cheer you up. So perk up, okay?”

Considering the Spartan training waiting for me from Shizune-san, I’d need at least ten hamburger sets to balance it out.

“When you get your results, send me a message, alright? I’m working till noon today.”

“…Got it.”

It was about time to head to the classroom.

I left the cafeteria with Hinako and the others.

“It’s kind of sad to think this is the last day of summer classes.”

“Yeah. The studying was tough, but it’s been a good memory.”

As we entered the classroom, Tennouji-san and Narika were talking wistfully.

The other students were having similar conversations. Feeling that atmosphere, I thought back on this past week and felt a pang of loneliness too.

“Now, I’ll return your exam papers.”

The instructor at the podium called out students’ names, handing back their answer sheets.

“Tomonari Izuki-san.”

“Yes.”

I was terrified to see my results.

With trembling hands, I took the answer sheet, and the instructor gave me a gentle smile.

“You worked hard.”

“Huh…?”

◇

“Hirano-san, you can take your break now.”

“Got it!”

Working as kitchen staff, Yuri realized it was break time, quickly tidied her tools, and left the kitchen.

She took off her apron, put it in her locker, grabbed her phone, and opened the door to the break room.

“Oh, Hirano-san. Good work.”

“Thanks, you too.”

A senior coworker was already in the break room—a friendly woman who’d taught Yuri a lot since her first day. It’d be awkward to sit apart, so Yuri pulled out the chair next to her.

“Hirano-san, you’re here till next week, right?”

“Yeah. I actually wanted to stay and study a bit more, but…”

“You’re helping out with the family business, right? That’s impressive for someone so young!”

“It’s something I enjoy, so it’s fine! Our place isn’t a big shop, and we have a lot of menu items, so it’s hard to hire part-timers.”

“Running a tight, elite team, huh? That’s pretty legit.”

Hearing that didn’t feel bad at all. Yuri couldn’t help but grin, her lips curving into a smug arc.

But when she thought about her goal of turning the shop into a nationwide chain, relying on specialized skills might not be the best idea. She’d need to develop cooking methods that even inexperienced young people could learn and master with proper training.

While pondering the path to her ambitions, another nagging thought surfaced in her mind.

“Um, senpai?”

“What’s up?”

“Do you know anything about macroeconomics?”

“Huh? Macro… what?”

Yuri quickly said, “Never mind,” and sank into her chair.

As expected, normal people wouldn’t know.

If that’s the case, Izuki shouldn’t know either.

Maybe she should start preparing that hamburger set early. Yuri thought about the ingredients in her hotel room, mentally checking if she needed any extra seasonings.

“…Oh, a message from Izuki.”

Glancing at her phone screen, she saw a notification.

(Alright, let’s see how Izuki’s exam results turned out~)

Since it’s summer classes, she wasn’t sure if there was such a thing as failing, but she could imagine him feeling down. Thinking of a few comforting words, Yuri opened the message.

The message from Izuki started with: About the exam results—

“…Wha?”

Reading its contents, Yuri’s mind went blank.

Ever so politely, Izuki had listed his scores for every subject.

But those scores were completely different from what Yuri had expected.

Since today was just for returning exams, Izuki and the others were probably already enjoying their free time. Yuri stepped away from her senpai, her hand trembling slightly as she called Izuki.

The call connected immediately.

“H-Hey, Izuki?”

“What’s up?”

“I, uh… I saw your exam results.”

Her voice shook without her realizing it as she spoke.

“You were chosen as an outstanding student…”

That’s what Izuki had written in his message.

Despite acting so unconfident, saying he couldn’t solve it… Izuki had scored among the top students in the summer classes.

“Your scores… they were good, huh? Weren’t you saying you weren’t confident?”

“I wasn’t confident, but it seems I wasn’t the only one. There were students from schools other than Kiou Academy in the summer classes, so my scores ended up relatively high. …At least this means I’ve dodged Shizune-san’s Spartan training.”

A sigh of relief came through the phone.

But Yuri’s anxiety didn’t stop.

An unpleasant sweat formed on her forehead. Trying to distract herself from the emotions swirling in her chest, she opened her mouth to say something random when—

“Well, for me, this was expected.”

Mirei’s voice came through.

The usual Ojou-sama crew must be nearby. It sounded like he’d switched to speaker mode.

“I understood the class material perfectly, so this result is only natural.”

“I agree,” Narika added. “Izuki’s been working hard every day, and I figured he’d catch up by the end of these summer classes. …Unlike me.”

Hinako’s calm voice followed. “Considering all the effort Tomonari-kun’s put in, this result makes sense.”

“H-Hmm…”

Yuri let out an awkward hum.

The weird sweat wouldn’t stop. Her breathing was getting a bit ragged too.

“Uh, sorry, I gotta get back to work, so I’m gonna hang up.”

“Sure. We’re at the hotel till tomorrow, so we can talk later.”

Over the phone, Izuki didn’t notice anything off about Yuri.

The call ended.

Clutching her phone tightly, Yuri stood frozen for a moment.

(…Everyone believed Izuki could do it.)

Hinako, Mirei, Narika—they all acted like it was obvious.

And yet—

(I was the only one who thought Izuki couldn’t.)

Now that she thought about it, Izuki attends the prestigious Kiou Academy. There’s no way he’d be bad at studying.

Even if he’d done poorly on this exam—Izuki was already smarter than her.

For someone like him, there was nothing Yuri could do.

“Hirano-san, you okay? You look pale…”

Her senpai sounded worried.

“I’m fine. …I’m heading back to work!”

Desperate to look away from the truth she’d realized, Yuri threw herself back into her job.

◆

“Alright, let’s meet back at the main building in an hour.”

Back on the hotel grounds, I said to Hinako and the others.

“Konohana Hinako… next time, we’ll settle this!”

“Please go easy on me.”

Hinako smiled softly.

Tennouji-san let out a frustrated “Mrrgh!” and stormed off to her room.

(We got the same score, so she could just celebrate with me…)

With a wry smile, I headed to my room alone.

It was three in the afternoon. Even in Karuizawa, surrounded by lush greenery, it was predictably hot at this hour. I wiped the sweat dripping from my temple with the shoulder of my shirt.

After the summer classes ended, we’d been chilling at a nearby café, chatting leisurely.

Once we’d talked enough and grabbed lunch, the Ojou-sama girls said they needed to report their exam results to their parents, so we split up for a bit. Hinako also had to call Kagen-san, so I had some free time in the meantime.

(Getting praised by Shizune-san felt pretty good…)

Right before we parted, Shizune-san had complimented my exam results. Getting praise from someone who usually rides me hard hits different.

“Phew.”

I dropped my bag in my room and took a breather, only to realize I had nothing to do. I’d been out and about earlier, so I could just rest here, but knowing I’m leaving tomorrow makes me want to make the most of every moment.

(Maybe I’ll head to the main building.)

It’s still early, but I figured I’d wander around until our meetup time.

I left my room and strolled leisurely toward the main building.

As I stepped into the lobby, I spotted a small figure.

“Yuri.”

“Izuki…?”

Yuri turned to look at me.

“You done with work for today already?”

“Yeah, just finished. Though tomorrow I’m working from morning till night.”

That means today’s the last day Yuri and I can talk like this.

I wondered when we’d see each other next… and then I noticed something off about Yuri’s expression. She looked kind of down.

“Izuki… you’re really working hard at studying, huh?”

“Gotta keep up in the environment I’m in.”

When I answered, Yuri’s eyes flickered with unease.

“S-So, like… you’re good at studying, but what about sports?”

Yuri asked with a forced smile.

“I mean, Kiou Academy’s big on sports too, right? I heard they win all sorts of tournaments. Aren’t PE classes tough?”

“They’re tough, but I’m pretty decent at sports. Stuff like polo or skating—sports I’ve never tried—are still a question mark, but I haven’t struggled in class so far.”

“R-Right…”

Yuri’s gaze dropped.

“W-Well, what about food? You must miss regular, down-to-earth flavors, right? Be honest, it’s gotta feel complicated.”

“Yeah, I guess that’s true.”

“Then!”

With a frantic look, Yuri met my eyes.

“I’ll start cooking for you from now on! Shizune-san’s already offered me a job, and even if that doesn’t work out, I can deliver takeout or—”

“No, I couldn’t ask you to go that far. It’d feel wrong.”

“But you’re craving normal food, right?”

Yuri put her hands on her hips.

“You can rely on me, you know? I’m your Onee-san, after all!”

There it was—her classic line.

But if I played along with her usual banter, she might actually show up at the Konohana house with takeout.

“I appreciate the thought, but I’m okay.”

I said gently, trying to reassure her.

“Even if they’re Ojou-sama, it’s not like we’re eating full-course meals every day. At first, they served fancy dishes to teach me manners, but lately, it’s been pretty normal stuff. Omelets, hamburgers, things like that. …I don’t get much B-grade gourmet, but the food’s healthy and plenty satisfying.”

I mean, I’d love to eat Yuri’s cooking too.

But I’m not struggling enough to order takeout, and I don’t want to burden Yuri like that.

Yuri, too, is someone who works hard every day with a purpose. I didn’t want to become a shackle holding her back.

But upon hearing my response, Yuri panics terribly.

“Uh, um… well, then, um…”

Yuri moves her mouth hesitantly, her face looking like she might burst into tears.

“Yuri, what’s wrong?”

“N-nothing’s wrong! More importantly, Izuki, is there anything troubling you? I can help with anything…!”

“To be honest, I’ve got a ton of troubles…”

“Then—!”

For some reason, Yuri’s eyes light up brightly.

I continue speaking to her.

“But I want to do my best on my own as much as possible. Lately, I’ve found it fun to work hard and grow.”

To keep up with everyone at Kiou Academy, I still lack knowledge and experience. But I’ve come to know the joy of filling those gaps through my own efforts.

The joy of achieving results is proportional to the amount of effort put in.

That’s why I don’t want to easily give up on working hard.

“…I see.”

Yuri lowers her face and gives a short nod.

I find her behavior puzzling.

“Yuri, seriously, what’s going on?”

“…Nothing’s going on.”

“We’re childhood friends, you know. I can see through a lie like that.”

No, with Yuri acting like this, even someone who isn’t her childhood friend could tell something’s off.

She’s that visibly shaken.

“Even if you understand me, Izuki… I don’t understand you anymore.”

Yuri confesses haltingly.

“You seem really fulfilled with your life right now, don’t you?”

“Well, yeah, I guess so.”

“Then… maybe you don’t need me anymore?”

For a moment, I couldn’t grasp the meaning of her question.

“Even without me, you seem to be having fun every day, don’t you? You’re doing fine on your own, aren’t you?”

“No… even if that’s true, that doesn’t mean I don’t need you.”

“It does.”

“It doesn’t—”

“—It does!!”

Yuri shouts.

“Because! I don’t need to be by your side anymore, do I?! Your school life seems to be going great, doesn’t it?! Everyone seems to like you, don’t they?! You’ve gotten good at studying, and you’re even paying attention to your appearance and posture now, aren’t you?! You’re living in a world I don’t know… a place where I can’t do anything for you!!”

Like a dam bursting, her emotions spill out uncontrollably.

Even words can’t fully express it, as large tears roll down from both of Yuri’s eyes.

“This morning, I looked at your exam questions, but I didn’t understand a single thing! What am I supposed to do for someone who can solve problems like that?! You even said you don’t need me to cook for you… There’s nothing left for me to do for you, Izuki!! So what’s the point of me being here?!”

Hearing Yuri’s cries, there’s one thing I just can’t wrap my head around.

So I hurriedly call out to her.

“W-Wait a second. What do you mean there’s nothing you can do? I didn’t stay by your side all this time because you were useful to me or anyth—”

“—Liar!”

In a fit of rage, Yuri’s face turns bright red as she yells.

“Because! You wouldn’t even meet with me unless I was useful to you!”

With that, Yuri runs off from my sight.

All I could do was stare blankly at her small retreating figure.

◆

After Yuri ran off, I sank onto the lobby sofa, frozen like a stone.

About thirty minutes later, Hinako and Shizune appeared. They must have met up along the way, as Tennouji and Narika are with them too.

The four notice me and approach.

“Tomonari-san, is something wrong?”

Clearly noticing my pale expression, Tennouji asks with concern.

“Yuri and I… we had a fight.”

“Oh.”

“We fought, and it got bad.”

I didn’t have the energy to sugarcoat it right now.

Hinako and the others fall silent as I clutch my head.

“Why did this happen…?”

“…I don’t really know myself.”

I can’t answer Tennouji’s question about why it happened.

I don’t understand. Why did Yuri get so angry?

But those tears are my responsibility.

What was Yuri carrying inside her? …I need to find out.

“…Come to think of it, I know Yuri was sneaking around doing something until the day before the exam… That was probably meeting with you all, right, Konohana-san?”

Back in the day, Yuri often helped me with my studies. Narika knows this. So it’s certain that Yuri and Narika were talking behind my back.

I figured the same might be true for Hinako and the others, so I asked, and it seems I was right. Not just Narika, but Hinako and Tennouji nod as well.

“Did she say anything? About me… or about herself?”

Right now, I’m desperate for any clue.

Perhaps because I look so cornered, all three respond immediately.

“I heard from Hirano-san that she and Izuki have been close since childhood. You two have known each other since first grade, and Hirano-san used to cook for you or pass down old clothes.”

That’s true.

I’ve been a burden to Yuri in all sorts of ways since forever.

“I spoke with her about you, Tomonari-san. …Hirano-san was worried about whether you were managing okay at Kiou Academy. When I assured her there were no issues, she seemed a bit surprised.”

Well, yeah.

If you told the old me that I’d somehow be managing fine at Kiou Academy, I’d never have believed it.

“For me, it was similar. When I told her you were doing fine, Tomonari-kun… Hirano-san looked a little lonely.”

Hinako, in her refined Ojou-sama mode, says this.

Lonely… I feel like there’s a hint in that.

Maybe Yuri feels lonely about how I’ve changed. If someone you reunite with after a long time has changed beyond your expectations, I can understand that feeling.

“It’s hard to imagine from the current Tomonari-san, but back then, you were supported by Hirano-san to get by, weren’t you?”

“Yeah, that’s right. I’ve always been supported by Yuri…”

As I start to affirm Tennouji’s words, it hits me.

Oh, I get it—that’s what’s going on.

“Tomonari-san?”

“Did you figure something out?”

Tennouji and Narika ask as I clutch my head.

“Yuri… she knows the old me.”

Since I’ve confided in them, I should let them know too.

So I decide to share the conclusion I’ve reached—the story of my relationship with Yuri.

“The old me… I didn’t have any room to breathe.”

◆

Ever since I was little, my family was dirt poor.

My parents worked a bit, but they had a habit of spending more than they earned on booze and gambling, so I had no choice but to work too.

I started part-time jobs the day I entered high school. But if you ask when I really started working, it was probably from the moment I became aware of the world.

By elementary school, I was already helping with my mom’s side gigs.

All my classmates were completely oblivious to household finances. As if playing was their job, they’d run around the park every day, bursting with energy.

I’d watch them from a distance while stuffing tissues into bags in our cramped house.

There’s no way my heart didn’t grow bitter.

Especially as an emotionally immature kid.

“Izuki! Let’s go play!”

I met Yuri in elementary school. Apparently, she lived nearby, but I only learned that when she told me.

Yuri seemed to have known about me for a while. …Of course. With a family as poor as mine, with parents hooked on alcohol and gambling, we were bound to be the talk of the neighborhood. Our house was whispered about as “the family to avoid,” but young Yuri approached me with the light assumption that I was just someone she’d heard about.

But I brushed off her kindness every single time.

I didn’t have the capacity for it.

“Sorry, I’m busy right now.”

I had to go home and help with side gigs.

I had to go home and help with chores.

I was irritable from hunger, skipping meals.

I couldn’t suppress my jealousy toward classmates who played carefree.

“Izuki! How about today—”

“Sorry, I’m busy.”

Back then, my heart was immature, and I’d take my stress out on others.

I never resorted to violence or insults, but there’s no doubt I was unnecessarily cold to Yuri, who kept reaching out to me.

Over and over, I kept rejecting her invitations.

Then, about six months later,

Yuri started inviting me in a slightly different way.

“Izuki! Wanna help me practice cooking!?”

Aiming to be a chef since childhood, Yuri often had me taste her dishes under the guise of a “tasting session.”

Thanks to that, I saved on food costs.

“Izuki! We’ve got extra clothes at my house, wanna take them!?”

Every time the seasons changed, Yuri would pass down clothes she or her parents no longer needed.

Thanks to that, I had plenty of clothes to get through winter.

“Izuki! Wanna study together? Your grades have been slipping, right?”

When my grades started tanking, Yuri suggested study sessions. She’d even summarize key points in notes, letting me study efficiently in a short time.

Thanks to that, I managed to improve my terrible grades.

My heart still had no room to spare. Yuri must have seen through my state of mind and figured that if she offered something beneficial to me, I’d spend time with her.

Back then, I didn’t notice a thing.

But now, I finally get it.

Yuri was intentionally inviting me in that way—just to be with me.

◆

“Yuri… she’s always made suggestions that would benefit me.”

As I wrap up my recollection, Hinako and the others look solemn.

“To think you had such a past, Tomonari-san…”

“I… didn’t know it was to that extent either.”

Tennouji and Narika murmur softly.

Since way back, Yuri has always acted in ways that were helpful to me.

And that hasn’t changed even now.

When we reunited at this hotel, Yuri invited me to her room. But it wasn’t just a casual invite—it was to cook for me, assuming I was craving familiar, homey flavors.

At first glance, Yuri might seem overbearing. But in truth, she only makes suggestions that’ll make me happy. And she doesn’t even bother with ideas that might not be useful to me. The pajama party, the trip to the beach—those were someone else’s ideas, not Yuri’s.

Yuri has been looking out for me this whole time.

For nearly a decade.

Now that I think about it—that’s when Yuri started acting like my Onee-san.

All this time, I might have been putting pressure on Yuri without realizing it.

“—I have to find her.”

I’ve figured out the root of the rift between me and Yuri.

Just moments ago, I didn’t know about this rift and couldn’t say anything to Yuri as she ran off.

But now, I have words I can say to that retreating figure.

Dinner doesn’t matter anymore. I stand up and head outside.

“Tomonari-kun.”

Hinako calls out to me as I start to leave.

I stop and approach her. She drops her Ojou-sama mode so no one else notices and asks,

“Is Hirano-san… someone important to you?”

Her face is deadly serious.

“Yeah, she’s important.”

I can answer that question instantly—that’s how much she means to me.

My longest friend, aside from family.

A kind girl who’s been thinking of me since we were kids.

If that girl is out there, hurting somewhere—I absolutely have to help her.

“I’m going.”

I tell Hinako and set off to find Yuri.

◇

Back in elementary school,

Yuri once went to school hiding that she was feeling unwell.

It was probably a slight fever. Her nose was runny, her head ached, and her whole body felt strangely heavy. At first, she considered staying home, but her homeroom teacher had just told her about perfect attendance awards, so she was determined to go to school no matter what.

Lucky or not, Yuri was good at pretending to be fine.

Even her family didn’t notice, and she passed through the school gates.

Always a bit of a tomboy, Yuri thought that acting quiet would give her away, so she tried her best to seem energetic.

She greeted everyone cheerfully when she entered the classroom.

During lunch, she chatted happily with friends while eating.

And after school, she went to talk to Izuki in the next class.

Back then, Izuki was just a classmate to Yuri. But he was also the person she knew who lived closest to her. To young Yuri, that alone felt special, and she wanted to be friends with him as much as possible.

But she didn’t have deeper feelings. Yuri wasn’t in love with Izuki or pitying him.

Izuki was hard to get along with.

Knowing she’d probably get rejected again, Yuri went to see him.

“Yuri, are you feeling sick?”

He saw through her in an instant.

Her family, her friends, even her teachers—none of them noticed. But just by looking at her, Izuki picked up on her condition.

She’d almost forgotten she was unwell herself, since no one else had noticed…

Izuki was really looking at her. That realization struck her heart deeply.

Looking back, that’s when it started.

From that moment—Yuri has always loved Izuki.

The sound of gentle waves brushes against her ears.

Sitting on the beach, Yuri gazes at the sky dyed in crimson hues, recalling the past.

(…What am I even doing?)

She just wanted somewhere—anywhere—to escape to. That urge must have unconsciously led her to the beach they all visited yesterday.

Getting into a fight and escaping to the beach—she has to admit, she’s got some odd action-oriented tendencies. Luckily, she has train fare to get back, but it’ll probably be dark by the time she reaches the hotel. Tomorrow’s shift is long. She should head back early and rest.

At this time, with the sun about to set, the beach is nearly deserted. So she can think without anyone interrupting her.

(I didn’t mean to say all that…)

She said things she shouldn’t have.

That he wouldn’t meet her unless she was useful… Sure, the old Izuki was like that, but looking at him now, that’s probably not true anymore. The current Izuki has the leeway to accept pointless invitations.

No… if she thinks about it, Izuki gained that leeway long ago.

Maybe in upper elementary school, or when they started middle school—around then, Izuki’s heart must have grown. He stopped showing his bad moods, his impatience, his weaknesses.

And he became kind.

Acting for someone else’s sake isn’t something you can do without leeway. By the time people started calling him kind, Izuki already had that leeway.

She was the only one who didn’t notice.

She was the only one clinging to the old Izuki.

—I’m Izuki’s Onee-san, after all!

Her catchphrase.

It sounded like she was saying it to Izuki or others, but really, she was just convincing herself.

I’m Izuki’s Onee-san, so I have to be useful.

It’s nothing but self-imposed shackles.

I mustn’t blame Izuki.

(Well, of course the Ojou-sama would notice… my feelings.)

Hinako, Mirei, and Narika all asked me what I think of Izuki.

I love him, obviously. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be thinking about him this seriously.

But I’ve kept those feelings locked away for so long, never intending to let them show.

When I was little, I called out to Izuki countless times, even when he was too overwhelmed to respond. My heart raced, my face flushed without permission. Driven by the impulse of my first love, I tried over and over to get him to notice me, barely able to think straight—and every attempt ended in failure.

That’s when it hit me.

To Izuki, my love… it’s just a burden.

So I sealed it away and started thinking of ways to make him turn to me.

In that sense, I declared, “I’m Izuki’s Onee-san, after all!”

I’m his Onee-san—so I’m just looking after my little brother, not because I’m in love with him or anything, okay!

“…What a classic tsundere.”

The sea breeze brushes against my cheeks, flushed with embarrassment, cooling them down.

It’s all just self-deception. I thought confessing my feelings would only trouble him, but I still wanted to be by his side somehow. This twisted approach was the only solution I could come up with.

I’m the one who chose this path.

Thinking it over again… blaming Izuki is completely unfair.

“Hey, you there.”

A voice suddenly calls out from the side.

I turn to see two burly men standing there.

“You alone right now?”

“It’s getting dark, y’know? We’ll give you a ride, so how ’bout you grab some tea with us in return?”

Both have dyed hair and tattoos.

There’s something menacing about them, and I stand up, instinctively stepping back.

“…No, thank you.”

“C’mon, don’t be like that. You gotta accept a guy’s kindness, right?”

One of them grabs my slender arm.

“Hey, let go!”

“Whoa, your hand’s freezing!”

“Feisty and cute, huh?”

My blood boils.

I was trying to think about something important. And now these idiots are interrupting me. Seeing their sleazy grins, my irritation hits its peak.

“I said, let go!!”

I slap the guy still gripping my arm, hard.

A sharp smack echoes, and his face turns serious.

“…Hey, don’t get too cocky.”

“Eek—!?”

He clenches his fist.

Terrified, I squeeze my eyes shut.

That’s when—

“—Looks like I made it in time.”

A familiar voice reaches me, and I slowly open my eyes.

Izuki is holding the man’s arm.

◆

I tracked Yuri down to the beach we visited yesterday.

She’s genuinely struggling, but her petite height is unmistakable. I kept asking people, “Have you seen a short girl dressed like this?” and somehow managed to find her.

It seems Yuri had been crying on her way here.

That’s probably why so many people noticed her.

“Who’re you?”

Yuri’s caught in the middle of some sleazy pickup attempt.

The guy whose arm I grabbed glares at me, clearly annoyed.

“Her childhood friend.”

I answer curtly, yank his arm, and swiftly throw him.

“Gah—!?”

The ground’s just sand. No matter how hard I toss him, he won’t get hurt.

Seeing his buddy easily thrown, the other guy looks shocked. But in the next moment, he charges at me, furious, as if out for revenge.

—Too slow.

Does he have any idea how much Shizune’s been training me?

I grab his outstretched wrist, twist it outward, and lean my weight into his elbow. Unable to bear it, he buckles at the knees and collapses.

“Ow!?”

He didn’t brace himself, so he faceplants into the sand.

Both guys get up, sand stuck to their faces. But they’re just wannabe players—no real fight left in them.

“Tch…!”

“You’ll regret this!!”

Spitting out comic-book-level parting lines, they scramble off somewhere.

“Phew…”

Good thing I managed to drive them off.

But hitting on Yuri, of all people… are those guys into lolis or something?

“You okay?”

I call out to Yuri behind me.

“Y-Yeah. Th-Thanks—”

Her voice catches suddenly.

Maybe remembering we’re in a fight, she drops the meek attitude and slips back into her usual bold demeanor.

“W-What’re you doing here? I-I didn’t ask for your help, y’know!”

“…You could at least say thank you.”

“I-I don’t know what you’re talking about!?”

Her face is red, and it’s not just because of the sunset’s glow.

Sweating awkwardly and flustered, Yuri soon lets out a lonely expression.

“…You’ve really changed, haven’t you? You didn’t used to be this tough.”

She scans me from head to toe as she speaks.

A trained body. The guts to stand up to thugs. The old me didn’t have those.

“Yeah, I’ve changed. But because I changed, I could protect you.”

That’s why I don’t regret becoming who I am now.

And I want Yuri to accept that, too.

“Yuri, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize until now.”

I lower my head quietly.

“You’ve been trying to be useful to me all this time because of what happened back then, right? I kept turning down your invitations, so you came up with ways to be helpful to me.”

“…That’s right. But that was my choice. It’s not your fault.”

“No, it’s my fault.”

“No, it’s mine.”

“It’s me.”

“It’s me.”

“Me—”

“Me—”

We’re both stubborn as hell.

But I can’t back down here.

Yuri’s always been confident, spirited. Even when I worried about her, she’d laugh and say, “I’m fine!” That’s the kind of girl she is.

I can’t keep leaning on her strength like that.

“Yuri! I’m gonna say this loud and clear!”

She blinks, startled by my raised voice.

I keep going, full force.

“I’ve never looked at you that way!”

“H-Huh!? Oh, I see, I see!! Guess I’m just not feminine enough for you!!”

“No! That’s not it! I mean I’ve never judged you by how useful you are!”

“—!”

Yuri’s eyes widen.

“W-What’s that supposed to mean now… That’s a lie! Maybe the you now is different, but the old you stuck around because I was useful, didn’t you!?”

“No! That’s the misunderstanding!”

To a half-crying Yuri, I shout back.

“The old me didn’t have any room to breathe. No time to hang out, no ability to hide my bad moods, so I ended up acting cold. Naturally, I didn’t have any friends.”

It wasn’t that people hated me—I was the one pushing everyone away.

Before I knew it, no one bothered talking to me anymore. Only then did I start feeling lonely. Way too late.

“But even then, Yuri… you kept reaching out to me. Maybe to you, it was just because we lived nearby, but to me, it meant the world.”

At first, I might’ve found it annoying.

But Yuri’s persistence slowly dug up feelings I’d buried. Loneliness… the desire to hang out with someone—Yuri helped me find those.

“So I made up my mind. The next time you reached out… I’d try to be friends for real.”

I never told anyone.

It was a promise I made to myself, deep in my heart.

“That’s the day we first hung out… the day I helped you practice cooking.”

“Ah…”

Yuri lets out a small sound.

She’s probably just now realizing it.

Yes—it was all a coincidence.

By chance, I was thinking, “This time, I’ll be friends.”

By chance, Yuri was thinking, “I’ll be useful to Izuki.”

Those two thoughts meshed in the worst way, and Yuri misunderstood.

She came to believe she had to be useful to stay by my side—a terrible mistake.

“I didn’t stick around because you were useful. You kept reaching out, kept looking at me… that’s why I wanted to be with you.”

“…So that’s how it was.”

Realizing her mistake, Yuri’s eyes brim with tears.

There’s still something I need to tell her.

“While I’m at it, the me now? It’s all thanks to you.”

Yuri, who’d been looking down, silently meets my gaze.

“After we got close, I realized something. Pushing people away out of inferiority feels worse than connecting with them. Somewhere along the way, people started calling me a pushover, but that’s because of you. You taught me the warmth of being with others.”

If I hadn’t met Yuri, I’d probably still be tormented by inferiority over my family situation. My relationships would’ve stayed shallow.

I wouldn’t have picked up Hinako’s dropped student ID. I’d have written off Kiou Academy’s students as perfect, carefree people and ignored it completely.

So that day—when Hinako and I met—it was because of Yuri.

Growing up in a rough home, I could’ve easily given up. But I stayed on a good path because I met Yuri.

(It’s not about apologizing…)

I was about to apologize for not noticing the misunderstanding Yuri carried for ten years.

But there’s something more important to say than sorry.

“Yuri… thank you for supporting me all this time. I’ve been able to make it at Kiou Academy because of you.”

I pour ten years of gratitude into those words.

Yuri’s tears fall onto the sand, one by one.

“Yuri, I have a suggestion. How about we redo the last ten years?”

“Redo them… how?”

“Let’s be friends for another ten years. This time, as equals.”

I leave unsaid that I want her by my side forever.

Because of Yuri, I met Hinako and became a student at Kiou Academy. I survived there because Hinako, Tennouji-san, and Narika treated me as an equal. Their expectations and trust pushed me to keep going.

I want that kind of relationship with Yuri, too.

Yuri helped me meet Hinako and the others. They taught me the value of equal connections.

I want to give that lesson back to Yuri.

To me, Hirano Yuri is my first benefactor.

“…Ten years won’t be enough.”

Yuri wipes the tears from her eyes with the back of her hand and smiles.

“I’ll stick with you for life, until you tell me to get lost.”

◇

I head to the station with Izuki.

On the way, I slow my pace just a little, staring at his back.

I think back to a year ago… when Izuki turned down a confession from a girl.

He’s probably forgotten, but we actually had a conversation about it.

—Hey, why’d you turn her down?

—You know my family situation, right? I didn’t want to drag her into it.

He’s always thinking about others, no matter what.

Izuki’s already living a tight life. There’s no way he could scrape together money for dating. He didn’t want to embarrass her.

—So, what if the girl who confessed said she’d take care of you?

I threw out a simple question.

Izuki chuckled and answered.

—If someone said that, I wouldn’t have a reason to say no.

To him, it was probably just a joke.

But I took it seriously.

Before I knew it, that became one of the reasons I worked so hard on my cooking.

(Sigh… I would’ve taken care of him.)

He’s gone and grown up on me…

Izuki said he wants to make it on his own as much as he can. He’s not the type to just let someone support him anymore.

His back looks bigger than it used to.

It’s a lonely sight, but I’m proud of him, too.